Gear-shift-lever device.



P. W. BRUBAKER.

GEAR SHIFT LEVER DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.18, 1912.

' 1,5752% Patented A r.1;1913.

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ATN FFTC' GEAR-SHIFT-LEVER DEVICE.

earner...

Application filed March 13, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PIIARES W. Barn BAKER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at est Reading, in the county of Berks and State ofPeni'isylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGear-Shift-Lever Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to lever locking devices and is particularlyadapted for use in connection with an automobile gear shift lever.

The object of the present invention is to provide a device of thischaracter which may be easily and quickly operated from neutral todifferent speeds and reverse, and when desired may be convenientlylocked.

With this and other objects in view, my invention consists of a levermovable within a slot and engaging a stationary element therein, aspring adapted to bear against said lever so as to maintain such engagement, at pivoted latch engaging the spring and a lock for holding saidlatch in its engaged position.

1t is obvious that the construction shown in the accompanying drawingsand herein described and claimed, may be varied to suit specialconditions and it is therefore understood that I do not limit myself-tothe spccific details disclosed, but reserve the right to make suchchanges as fall within the limit and scope of the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention.Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same showing the lever in a lockedposition. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is asection on the line 4t l of Fig. Fig. 5 is a plan view with the pivotedlatch disengaged.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, like characters ofreference designate similar parts throughout the several views.

In the practical embodiment of my invention, the shift lever 1 ismounted in. any usual manner, as upon a short shaft 2, so that it may befreely moved within the slot provided in the casting 4L secured to theside A of an automobile or the like.

While the device is shown and described in connection with anautomobile, it is of course obvious that there are numerous uses towhich it may be put, an automobile being used as a convenient means ofexplaining its operation and advantages.

The slot 3 is preferably of elongated form Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Apr. 1, was.

Serial No. 684,580.

and of such width as to permit of the lever 1 having free moven'lenttherein to allow the said lever to be moved to any position desired, inorder to shift from one speed to an other, obtain neutral position orreverse. The casting in which the slot is formed is provided with a lugor projection 5, extend ing within said slot at about the centralportion thereof, and this lug or projection is adapted to engage a notchor opening (3 provided in the lever 1. ln order that there may besufficient room for the movement of the lever in engaging or disengagingfrom the lug 5, the slot 3 is formed with an offset portion 7 whichprovides space for the free movement of the lever. At a point above theshaft 2, the lever is provided. with a hinged joint 9, said jointpermitting said lever to be freely moved in a direction transverseof theslot 3. As before stated, the slot 3 is formed in a casting t, and inthe present instance is shown as formed in the upper portion t of saidcasting. Projecting downwardly from the portion 4, just mentioned, is anarm or projection 10, provided for the purpose of stupporting a flatspring 11, the said spring being secured thereto as at 19-. The spring11 is of substantially the same form. as the projection 10, being formedwith an upper enlarged portion 13 which is adapted to bear against thelever 1 and hold it in engagement with the lug 5. The said spring alsoforms a flexible wall for one side of the slot 3. Pivot-ally mountedupon the casting 4; in UK- taposition to the slot 3 is a latch 14, thepivot of said latch being shown at 15. The latch 14 is formed with araised portion 16 adapted to engage the offset portion 7 of the slot 3,and when so engaged the projecting end 17 of said latch bears againstthe enlarged portion 13 of the spring 11, and when the lever 1 isengaged by the lug 5 holds said lever in such engagement. In order thatthe latch lat may be kept in the position just described, an aperturedlug 18 is formed on the latch, said lug being adapted to engage asimilar lug 19 formed on the *asting t, both of said lugs being lockedin position by a padlock or other device 20, as shown in Fig. 8.

hen it is desired to move the lever from neutral position in which it isshown, it is only necessary to remove the lock and raise the latch tothe position shown in Fig. 5, when the spring will yield and permit thefree movement of said lever. In Fig. 5, there is also shown severalpositions of the lever, the full line position being neutral, the otherpositions being shown by dotted lines, a being first speed, 6 secondspeed, 0 third speed, and (Z the reverse.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I provide a simple andeflicient control for a speed shift lever, it being positive ofoperation and the parts being so arranged as to be easily manipulated.

Having thus described my invention,.what I claim is 1. The combinationoi a movable controller, a fixed element with which the controller isadapted to engage, means for yield ingly maintaining such engagement,and additional means adjustable to and from a position for positivelymaintaining the controller engaged with the said element.

2. A lever working within a slot, said slot being provided with anoflset portion, a spring movable within said ofiset portion, and alocking element engaging said spring.

3. A lever working within a slot, alug projecting within said slot, anotch provided in said lever, a spring adapted to bear against saidlever, a pivoted latch engaging said spring, and means for locking saidpivoted latch.

4:. A lever working within a slot, one side of said slot being providedwith a flexible portion, and means for converting said flexible portioninto a rigid portion.

5. A. lever working within a slot, one side of said slot being providedwith a flexible portion, means for converting said flexible portion intoa rigid portion, and means whereby said flexible portion controls themovement of said lever.

G. A lever working within a slot, a por tion of one wall being flexible,a lug located within said slot opposite tosaidflexible por tion, and alatch coacting with said flexible portion. I

7. A lever working within a slot, said slot being provided with anofisetportion, a spring located within said ofi'set portion, a lugprojecting within the slot, and a pivoted latch provided with aprojection adapted to engage said spring.

8. The combination of a lever, a fixed element with which the lever isadapted to be engaged, a spring for yieldingly holding the lever engagedwith the said element, and a device movable into engagement with thespring for preventing yielding thereof and disengagement of the leverfrom the said element.

9. The combination of a lever-holding element, a spring adjacent thesame, a lever movable past and between the element and spring andadapted when in neutral position to be held by the spring in engagementwith said element, said spring being yieldable away from the saidelement to permit the lever to be released, and a device movable intoengagement with the spring to pre vent yielding thereof.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PHAR-ES W. BRUBAKER.

Vitnesses LILLIE M. FRY, H. FRANKLIN BROSSMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

